Zimbabwe’s tobacco marketing season is underway with farmers having sold USD 19.4 million worth of tobacco in six days so far, reports NewsDay.

Statistics from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) show that within the first six days of sales, tobacco farmers sold a total of 6,648,261 kilogrammes of tobacco worth USD 19,474,002. The average selling price for both auction and contract was USD 2.93. This is 11.83 per cent less than was sold in the same period in 2022 when sales stood at USD 22 million, reports NewsDay.
The area put under tobacco increased from 110,000 to 117,000 hectares and the number of growers also increased from 123,000 to 148,527. The marketing season opened earlier this year and it is expected that farmers will deliver over 230 million kilos of tobacco throughout this season due to good rains and increased hectarage.
“As of March 15, day 6 of the 2023 tobacco marketing season, we recorded 6,648,261 kilograms of tobacco valued at USD 19,474,002. The marketing season opened earlier this year, some growers are still reaping and others are grading and bailing. We are happy that growers have received our message and are bringing tobacco to the right points of sale. We continually encourage them to book their tobacco at least a day before the intended day of sale,” said TIMB spokesperson Chelesani Tsarwe.
The TIMB also promised to keep an eye out for side marketing that has been an issue over the past years.
“This season we are armed with SI 77 of 2022 as well as the Contractors’ Compliance Administration Framework as our main tools to fight side marketing. These two guide contractors’ operations from production up to marketing. All tobacco stakeholders are mandated to fully utilise the TIMB booking system. A grower should book their tobacco a day before the intended selling day. This helps us detect side marketing and stop it,” said Tsarwe.
Growers are expected to receive 85 per cent of their earnings in foreign currency and the remainder in local currency, according to NewsDay.